


just a kid alone in the snow

by offtopicmind



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alone on Christmas, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Detroit Evolution, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gavin Reed Backstory, Gavin Reed Deserves Happiness, How Do I Tag, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Octopunk Media, Post-Detroit Evolution, Pre-Detroit Evolution, Red Ice (Detroit: Become Human), Swearing, Teenage Gavin Reed, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:14:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24018058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/offtopicmind/pseuds/offtopicmind
Summary: Gavin's first time alone on Christmas, followed by the first time where he isn't.
Relationships: Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Comments: 6
Kudos: 123





	1. lonely, miserable and cold

**Author's Note:**

> Have to admit, I got the idea for this fic from people on the Octopunks discord server  
> I've taken some artistic liberty of sorts with this in terms of Gavin's backstory, so it may not line up exactly with Octopunk media's take.  
> Also, this is the first fanfic I'm writing in like 5+ years, so there's a good chance this isn't any good, aand probably way out of character. Just a warning.

Gavin hated Christmas. He hadn't before, but he decided he did now. It was lonely and miserable and _cold._

God, it was so cold.

There was snow at his feet, and on the bench he was sat on, and in the wind that kept blowing the hood off of his head. Gavin was soaked with ice cold water that froze him down to his bones. His whole body was shaking, and his ears rang with the sound of the chatter of his teeth. The boy wiggled his toes in the ratty old excuses for sneakers he had on his feet. He could barely move them, let alone feel them. His ripped jeans and tattered sweater didn't offer much protection from the elements either. Both had soaked through, and it was beginning to feel as if he wasn't wearing anything at all.

Gavin could, of course, pull his feet out of the snow. He could get up and hide away from the wind, curl up in an alleyway somewhere and spend his Christmas with the rats. But he didn't. Some sick part of him liked the bite of the wind and the snow that froze him until it hurt. He relished that sting of cold on his skin. This god awful cold was the only thing he felt besides a dull ache in his chest, or the pounding of his heart when he was out of his mind on red ice, so he stayed. He stayed on that bench, alone, in the cold, way too early on a Christmas morning. 

Gavin looked up from the packed snow on the ground. The colourful lights strung across the street lamps basked the streets in bright shades of green and red, and the trees in shop windows were decorated in gold and silver tinsel. Blow-up figures of reindeer and a sleigh, and bushes and trees decorated with lights covered the front lawns of the homes around him, and Gavin could see the tops of piles of presents through the living room windows. It was all so sickeningly happy. He hated it. All the colours and festive decoration was just a constant reminder that he didn't have that. He didn't have family, or lights, or decorations, or presents.

Gavin didn't have anything anymore. 

It hadn't been perfect before, of course. But lord, he would give anything to go back now. Christmases with the Reed family were chaotic. There was always arguments, screaming and shouting when the topic of money or alcohol or him came up. He usually spent most of the day holed up in his room, staring at the window just imagining how nice it would be to run away and live on his own.

Yeah, this was _real_ fuckin nice. Stupid past-Gavin. 

Christmas at home was nice sometimes. Like the times when he and his mom would put the decorations he made on the tree on the front lawn, or the odd occasion when he would wake up to a present under the tree. He could remember the excitement of just browsing the toy aisles like it was yesterday.

The sensible part of him knew he was looking back at it with rose coloured glasses. Every single one of those wonderful moments almost always was followed with more shouting and arguments, with something being tossed at him, or the door slamming as one of his parents stormed out, but he couldn't help but miss it. Whether it be the familiarity, or just the fact that it wasn't so damn cold, he wanted to be back in that hell hole.

His daydreams came to a very harsh stop as it suddenly got very bright. Gavin thought the sun might be rising. Had he been sitting on that bench for that long?

"Hey, kid, go home!"

Gavin looked up. He wasn't being basked in the light of the sunrise after all. Instead, there was a police car pulled over, drowning him in it's headlights. He held a hand up in some attempt to block the light, but still couldn't make out the face of the person behind the wheel. 

"I know you can hear me, get off the bench and _go home!_ " the man (or at least that's what it sounded like to him) insisted.

Gavin sighed. He didn't have the energy or patience to argue with the officer, so he stood. Then he hesitated. This stupid officer was not going to get the last word. 

"Fuck you!" he shouted, flipping the man off, or at least in his general direction. 

Classy. Real classy. 

Gavin had originally planned to walk just far enough away to appease the police man, then return right back to the bench, but there was no chance of that now. He'd pissed him off, and now this stupid officer was going to sit in his car until Gavin was long gone. But that was fine, there was plenty of benches he could mope on. He shot one last glare at the man behind the wheel and began trudging through the snow.

The snow crunching beneath his frozen feet created a rhythm as he walked. It was nice, something else to focus on besides the snobby police officer slowly getting further away and the cold that still chilled him down to his bones. Gavin kept his eyes on his torn up sneakers as he focused on the odd rhythm, not bothering to look up as he wandered through the streets of Detroit.

It didn't occur to him just how aimless this rhythmic walk had become until it was completely dark. There were no more glaring squad car lights, or flickering street lamps. Gavin had wandered himself right into the dark.

He finally looked up from the snow, now slush, at his feet. He was in between two old, worn down buildings that may have been houses at some point. The walls were littered with holes and graffiti, and the frames of the houses were beginning to be exposed. The roofs had almost completely fallen in, and Gavin could see cans and cigarette butts scattered across the sorry excuse for a floor. After not-so-careful consideration, he figured he might as well spend what was left of the night here. It certainly beat sleeping in an alley way and spending Christmas with the rats.

Gavin climbed through one of the holes in the wall of the abandoned house that looked to be in the best shape and sat himself down on a clear part of the floor. As he looked up at the snow falling through the holes in the ceiling above, he couldn't help but laugh at the irony of it all. Here he was, an abandoned, broken boy, sitting in an abandoned, broken house. As he lied down on the cold, hard floor, he knew there was not a soul out there that cared about this house, alone in the snow, and there was not a soul who cared about the boy alone in the snow inside of it.

Because at the end of the day, that's all he was, just a kid, alone, in the snow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay that was short and a bit of a lot of a mess, but I hope you enjoyed anyways!  
> The next and final part shouldn't take too long for me to write, and it will hopefully be longer (but we'll see)


	2. maybe it does get better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I hate you.”
> 
> “You love me.”
> 
> Gavin didn’t even try to hide the smile that spread across his face. “Unfortunately.”

Gavin didn't hate Christmas. He had before, but he decided there was no longer any reason to. It wasn't lonely or miserable or cold anymore. 

Okay, maybe it was a little cold.

There was snow at his feet, and on the railing of the balcony. Gavin had gone outside to smoke without adding any layers, only wearing some jeans and a long sleeve shirt. It wasn't the wisest of outfits for mid-winter in Detroit, but the cold was bearable. He was going to go inside in a minute anyways.

Something about the cold had always put him in a bad mood. Well, everything about the cold had put him in a bad mood. It always brought up some less than pleasant memories, and even less pleasant feelings. The winter time had continually disagreed with Gavin. Year after year, he spent his Christmas seasons alone, burying himself in work and cigarettes to avoid how empty he felt. This year though, was different.

This year, he had Nines.

He had Nines to drag him to the department Christmas party, which he had _actually enjoyed_ this year. He wasn't ignored, people were speaking to him without him having to speak first, and he'd laughed so hard that his chest had hurt for ages afterwards.

He had Nines to take him to the mall to buy gifts for their friends. Gavin usually hated the mall, but having his emotional support roomba had somehow made it bearable. _Fun_ even (but he wasn't about to admit that to Nines, especially not after all his whining about it)

He had Nines to drag him out to dinner on Christmas eve. And even though the android didn't need to eat, they had still had a good time together.

He had Nines-

_knock, knock_

at his door, apparently.

The detective put out the cigarette as he heard his partner's telltale knocks at the door. He walked back inside his apartment, sliding the balcony door shut before making his way across the apartment to open the door.

"Hello, detective," the android beamed. He held two perfectly wrapped gifts in his arms, one wrapped in blue with a red bow, and a significantly smaller red one with a tiny blue bow.

"Hey, tin can," Gavin replied, his eyes immediately dropping to the gifts. He smiled, shook his head and laughed. "You did _not_ buy the cat a gift."

"I did." Nines walked past Gavin, right into the living room. He set the gifts down on the couch and turned back to Gavin, "she deserves a gift for putting up with you all the time."

Gavin rolled his eyes, though his smile didn't fade. He shut the front door behind him and joined the android in the living room. " _You_ put up with me all the time, Nines," he reminded him, crossing his arms.

"And I am also getting a gift, am I not?" Nines countered with a smirk.

Gavin snorted, "prick." Nines raised a brow, tilting his head forward. "Fuckin' course you are, tincan. Stop giving me that look."

Nines chuckled as he took a seat on the couch. "Do you have any plans for dinner?" he asked as he picked up the cat and moved her onto his lap. "I could make you something."

Gavin shook his head, flopping down on the couch beside his partner. "Nah, you don't need to do that. I'm having something delivered."

Nines blinked and tilted his head to the side, giving Gavin a quizzical look. "But.. it's Christmas. Don't more.. extravagant meals accompany these sort of holidays?"

Gavin exhaled a laugh. Nines, though well over a year into his deviancy, occasionally still had trouble figuring out how humans worked. Gavin always found it a bit funny, and _maybe_ a little endearing at the same time. He himself wasn't exactly the most put together human ever, but he'd always try his best to explain things.

"Well, yeah. For normal people with their lives together." Gavin shrugged and leaned back in his seat, "besides, I have my reasons."

Nines' eyes narrowed. "Your reasons?" he inquired, his LED going yellow. Gavin was almost 100% sure that dipshit was scanning him again.

The detective nodded. "Yup. My reasons."

Gavin was content to leave the conversation there. "His reasons" weren't things he wanted to discuss at that moment. It would only bring the conversation down. Make things heavy. And Gavin had just about enough of that in his life. But Nines didn't seem to want to let it go. He stared at the detective with narrowed eyes and a tilted head. Even though the android hadn't said a word, he was still managing to get an answer out of Gavin.

"I.." Gavin sighed, trying to come up with the explanation that would use the least _words_. Words were hard. "Christmas has always been shitty for me, Nines. It was hell when I was living at home and it was hell on the streets. It just doesn't feel like something I should do anything too 'extravagant' for. I'd much rather sit around with my dumb android boyfriend and some takeout."

Nines smiled. His LED returned to its usual blue, and he dropped that scrutinizing look. "Well," he began, moving the cat off his lap and rising to his feet, "your _dumb android boyfriend_ appreciates the sentiment." The android bent down to press a quick kiss to Gavin's forehead as he passed him on his way to the door.

Gavin followed Nines with his eyes as he walked past him. He furrowed his brows, "where are you going tincan?"

"Your food is here," Nines replied, glancing back at his partner.

Gavin blinked and gaped at Nines. "How- how the hell do you know that?!"

Nines paused to fully look back at Gavin. He smirked and tapped at his LED. “Most advanced android-”

Gavin groaned, “Ever made, I know!” He flopped down sideways to lay on the couch, “god, you’re such a prick.”

“Oh am I now?” Nines said as he opened the door. As he predicted, the food delivery person was right there. He paid for and retrieved Gavin’s food, then returned to his partner at the couch.

“Your food, m’lord,” Nines said in a mocking accent, setting the takeout on the coffee table.

Gavin rolled his eyes. “I hate you.”

“You love me.”

Gavin didn’t even try to hide the smile that spread across his face. “Unfortunately.”

Nines exhaled a laugh, “I unfortunately love you too, Gavin.” The android sat down beside Gavin once he had sat upright again. He turned his attention to the pile of fur on the couch beside them. “I am going to give the cat her gifts while you eat, if that’s fine by you.”

Gavin opened his mouth to say sure, but stopped. Surely he hadn’t heard him right. Surely Nines had not just said that he bought _multiple_ gifts for that little asshole. Gavin blinked, “gift **s**?”

Nines nodded, apparently thinking nothing of it. "Yes. Gifts. I thought we'd already established that I bought her something. Now, do you care if I give them to her now?"

Gavin waved his hand dismissively. He just wanted to eat his takeout. "Yeah, sure, whatever. Go ahead." He dug into his meal as Nines picked up the little gift box and began to unwrap it. The cat didn't seem to care too much. She was busy being curled up half asleep on the couch by the android. Nines didn't mind though. He continued to unwrap the gift, waving the shiny wrapping paper in front of her face to try and grab her attention.

Gavin wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or sigh at the contents of the box. 

This _motherfucker_ had bought his cat fancy ass treats that Gavin always thought were way too expensive (because they were), multiple toys, and a whole _mini outfit_. Gavin couldn't help himself and barked out a laugh. "Shit, Nines, if I didn't know any better I'd think you were turning into a crazy cat lady." He looked down at the gifts in amazement and amusement. "How the hell did you fit all that in that box?"

"Simple organization, detective," Nines replied nonchalantly. Gavin watched as he gave the cat a few of the treats to distract her as he put the mini top hat onto her head.

"Why are you spoiling that little gremlin?" Gavin said through laughter. Though he was absolutely going to tease Nines relentlessly about this, he did find it sort of sweet. He also knew that his partner had way too much time on his hands, and probably had been filling all that up with focusing on pampering the cat. So maybe it wouldn’t kill him to cut his partner some slack.

Nines looked over at him with a fond smile. "Which gremlin? You, or the cat?"

"I- fuck you!" Gavin crossed his arms, leaning back in his seat with a faux-offended look. "I am _not_ a gremlin," he grumbled.

Nines chuckled and looked back down at the cat. For a moment it seemed like he was about to drop that conversation and move on to something else. That was until he raised a brow and said, "so you admit I spoil you?"

Gavin snorted. He raised his arms in a surrender, "hey, that's your fault, not mine." Nines rolled his eyes and shook his head, then went back to waving toys in the cats face. Gavin lowered his arms. A half laugh, half sigh escaped his lips, and his tone changed to one significantly more sincere as he spoke again, "you do actually kind of spoil me though. This season has been just.. you doing one nice thing after the other for me and I.. I don't deserve it. I haven't done a single thing in return for you."

Nines pulled his attention completely away from the cat at that. "That is ridiculous, Gavin. Of course you deserve it." The android took Gavin's hand in his own, the synthetic skin beginning to disappear as soon as he did so. "I'm not sure how many more times i'm going to have to remind you of this, but you deserve to be happy. And I want to see you happy. Seeing you enjoy.. _life_ is more than enough in return for me."

Gavin raised Nines’ hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to the back of it. He offered his partner a half smile, "thanks, Nines. I.. have been pretty happy lately. Guess I have you to thank for that."

Nines soft smile shifted back into that all too familiar teasing grin, "You are very welcome for that, detective."

Gavin scoffed, rolling his eyes and leaning away from Nines. "Aaaand the prick is back!"

Nines mimicked Gavin's gesture from before, raising his hands in a mock surrender. "I couldn't help myself! What can I say, you've rubbed off on me, Gavin."

Gavin huffed. "Yeah. A little too much, if you ask me." His eyes wandered for a moment before landing on the gift that Nines had brought for him. He nodded towards the too-perfectly wrapped box. "How about we see what you got for me?" 

Nines followed the detectives gaze to the blue and red gift. "Sure." He picked up the box and handed it to Gavin, adding a sarcastic, "don't be too disappointed if it's not as good as the cat’s," before the gift was opened. 

Gavin pulled off the red ribbon and set it aside before tearing apart the shiny blue wrapping paper. He opened the box and pulled out the light grey sleeveless hoodie on the top. The detective held it out in front of himself. He opened his mouth to thank Nines, but was cut off by the android.

"I figured you needed a replacement. Your other one you seem to favor is getting a bit.. well worn."

Gavin nodded. "It certainly was," he agreed with a small laugh, setting the hoodie down. Nines waved his hands to usher him into taking the second item out of the box. Gavin just waved his hands back at him mockingly before grabbing the second item.

The second part of the gift was a white mug with the words "I'm a big boy and got my own coffee" printed in bold black letters across the front. Gavin stared at it, his mouth partly agape. He spotted Nines' LED switching to yellow in the corner of his vision. 

"Do you not like it?"

Gavin shook his head, his gaping mouth turning into a grin, "No, Nines, I love it!" The detective took a minute to snicker at the writing, every glance at the mug causing another bout of laughter. He eventually managed to stop his snickering to turn to his partner. "You know me way too well. Thank you, Nines." 

Nines let out a relieved sigh and smiled. "You're quite welcome, Gavin. I had a feeling you'd like it."

Gavin chuckled, shaking his head. "You have a weird sense of humor, tin can." He placed the coffee mug on the table and reached over to the gift he'd gotten for Nines. "I'm starting to get worried that this won't live up to the impossibly high standard that you just set." 

Nines took the gift bag as it was offered to him. "I'm sure I'll love it,” he assured the detective.

Gavin watched nervously as Nines reached into the bag and pulled out a little zebra haworthia succulent. Nines tilted his head slightly, so Gavin took that as his cue to explain. "I asked Connor about gifts to get you, and apparently I'm not the only one who's noticed you kinda need a hobby, ‘cause he just suggested to find something for you to do. Case and point being my literal cat in a hat right now." He paused to motion to the cat who was indeed still in the hat. "Anyways, I thought you might wanna take up gardening. Being alive and learning how to grow has always been a big thing for you, so.. I figured what better hobby than taking care of some alive and growing plants?" 

Nines slowly looked up from the plant. He gave Gavin the sweetest smile and the biggest heart eyes. The android gently set the plant aside, "Gavin, that is.. so sweet." 

Gavin was beginning to feel a bit too vulnerable under that look. He averted his gaze, "well. yeah. whatever.. I just wanted to get you something that'd last. Plus it's got white stripes on it, and you seem to like white stuff, so.."

Before Gavin could say any more, Nines tackled him into a hug. He pulled the detective into a long kiss before meeting his eyes again. "Thank you _so_ much. This is the best gift I've received in my entire life"

"Well, your entire life hasn't been all that long, so that doesn't-"

"Oh Ra9 Gavin, just take the compliment!" 

Christmases with the Reed family were chaotic. But for a whole different set of reasons than they used to be. There wasn’t screaming, or shouting, or door-slamming this time around. It was a different kind of chaotic, with a different set of people. An overworked detective, and android, and a greedy little cat appropriately named "asshole." Sure it was a strange, crazy little family, but it was _Gavin's_. And he wouldn't give it up for the world. He could finally, without a shadow of a doubt, say he was happy.

He guessed he had Nines to thank for that

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so s o unbelievably, tooth-rottingly fluffy and sappy but im not gonna lie.. im gonna miss writing it. I had to stop to laugh at my own banter at some points(im lame, i know)  
> I'm going to leave you with the not-so-gentle suggestion to go watch Detroit: Evolution!! (If you haven't already)  
> (Actually, scratch that, even if you have already, watch it again!)  
> I'm still on this creative energy high, so you can expect more chapters of Lets pretend tomorrow isn't coming soon. and plenty(plenttyyy, i have plans) of other dumb fics.


End file.
